Sole-locating device



W. C. STEWART.

SOLE LOCATING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 12, I916- RENEWED JULY26.1920- 1,872,104.

Patented Mar. 22, 1921'.

2 SHEETS-SHEET lumen/22r- GM W. C. STEWART.

SOLE LOCATING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 12, I916. RENEWED JULY 26,192Q. 1,372,104. Patenix d Mar. 22,1921.

'2 sHEETs-sHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM G. STEWART, OF SWAMIPSCOTT, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CORIORATION, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

SOLE-LOGATING- DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Iatent.

Patented Mar. 22,1921.

Application filed June 12, 1916, Serial No. 103,163. Renewed July 26, 1920. Serial No. 399,178.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, .WILLTAM C. STEWART, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Swampscott, in the county of Essex and State ofMassachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sole-Locating Devices; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to apparatus for accurately locating soles with reference to devices which later operate upon the soles. The object of the invention is to provide certain improvements in sole locating devices of this character which shall. insure the accurate and rapid positioning of the sole in the proper relation to the operating instrumentalities. With this object in view, a feature of the invention consists in the provision of two cooperating feelers which are adapted to engage with positioning shoulders formed in opposite sides of the sole edge to locate the sole. In the preferred form of the invention, the coiiperating.

feeler members are adapted to be received in notches formed in opposite sidesof the sole edge adjacent the ballline and are con structed and arranged to position the sole hoth laterally and longitudinally) Still further features of the invention consist in certain novel. features of construction, combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed, the advantages of which will be obvious to those skilled in the art from the following description." I

In the drawings illustrating the preferred form of the invention, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a sole molding machine-embodying the invention, and Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are details illustrating the gaging mecha nism at three different stages in the positioning of the sole.

The illustrated embodiment of the invention is shown in connection with a sole mo] ding machine of the type disclosed in the patent to Preble No. 1,004,076, patented September 26, 1911. This machine comprises an upper mold 10 adjustably mounted upon a fixed cross-head 12 rigidly secured in the machine frame. A lower sole supporting mold 14 is mounted upon a horizontalslide 16 which operates in guidewavs formed in a vertically movable carrier l8. The lower mold in this type of machine is designed to move from a position of presentation, as shown in Fig. 1,.into a position of clearance in alineinent with the upper mold 10 and finally into a pressing position in which the sole is engaged. between the two molds. The vertical movements are imparted to the carrier 18 by means of a crank 20 on the main driving shaft, which is connected through a link 22 with a toggle having two arms 24 and 26 which are re spectively connected with the carrier and with a fixed portion of: the machine frame,

as shown in Fig. 1. The lower mold is moved into engagement with theupper mold duringthe vertical movement of the carrier 118, through mechanism consisting of link 28 connecting the slide 16 with a bell crank 30 which isfulcrumed upon the carrier 18. The bell crank 30 is connected by a link with an arm 34 whichfiis fulcrumed upon the machine frame and is normally moved to retain the slide 16 in the position shown in Fig. 1, through a spring 38. During the initial upward movement of the carrier 1.8 this mechanism moves the slide rearwardly against the action of the sprii'ig until. the slide engages with a stop 36 mounted. on the carrier. During the continued movement of the carrier the slide is retained in this position by the action of the spring 38.

According to the present invention the fiat sole is located accurately with respect to the cooperating molds, through a pair of cooperating gagememhers which serve to posi- As shown clearly in Figs. 2 to 4, inclusive,'

of the drawings, two sole locating gages 40 and 42 are fulcrumed upon a block 44 which is mounted upon the forward end of the slide 16. The two gages are formed as bell crank levers having inwardly projecting arms 46 and 48 which are provided with intermeshing gear segments to cause equal swinging movements of the bell cranks about their fulcra. 'The bell crank 40 is provided withan arm 50 removably connected thereto and having a feeler member 52 mounted upon the outer end. This feeler member is longitudinally adjustable through the provision of tongue-and-groove connections with the arm 50 and may be locked in adjusted position on the arm by means of a screw 54. The bell crank s is provided with a feeler member. 56 which is mounted in the outer end of one arm. as shown clearly in Fig. 2. It will be noted that both of these teeler members are provided with a point which is adapted to engage with the shoulders in the sole edge formed by the notches. The feeler members are normally moved toward one another by a spring 58 which connects the arm 48 with a holding stud 6O threaded in the boss 62 on the block d9. members toward one another may be limited through the provision of a'stop' screw 64: located in position to engage with the arm 4&6. This'stop screw permits the position of the gages'to he so adjusted with relation to 7 one another that a solemay be easily thrust between them on the mold.

With this construction the sole is moved rearwardly, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the opposite feelcr members following along the contour of the sole edge until the previously .formed notches 66 and 68 are reached when is properly located with relation to the ball line 70 of the mold as the shoulders previously formed upon the sole have a predetermined position with relation to the ball .line to be molded in the sole and the proper adjustment of the gages may be secured for each different style of sole to be molded. In this connection it-will be noted that in addition to the individual adjustment of the feeler member 52 a bodily adjustment of both members may be secured through the provision of longitudinal slots formed in the block a l which receive fastening bolts 92 threaded into the slide 16.

7 It is desirable that after the sole has been properly located and clamped in this posi- This inward movement of the feeler' tiom the gage members shall be removed from above the mold before the latter reaches a pressing position. To this cud the bell crank 40 is provided with an arm So having an inclined face which is adapted to engage with a. cam roll 82 and rock the two bell cranks i0 and -i2 during the inward movement of the slide 16 from a position oi? presentation into a position of clearance. The roll 82 is supported by a bracket 84; adjustably mounted upon the machine frame through a pair of slots 86 which receive curing bolts 88. as shown clcarli in the drawings. This construction serves to remove the trader members and gage arm from the operative position above the lower mold when the latter is moved into alinement with the upper mold. The mechanism for clamping the sole in position upon the lower mold when the operation of the machine is started and prior to the release ol the solo by the gage members is clearly described in the Preblc patent above referred to and comprises a clamping arm 72 which is pivoted to the slide 16 and is actuated from a stationary slotted clamp plate 78 which receives a roll 6 journaled upon the clamp arm. The clamp plate 78 is mounted on the carrier 18 and as the slide 16 moves horizontally opcrates to bring the clamp down upon the heel' end of the sole in the manner well known to those skilled in the art.

Although the illustrated embodiment of the invention is illustrated in connection with a sole molding machine it is obvious that certain features of the invention are applicable to any type of machine in which the sole is to be located with relation to devices which are to later operate upon the sole.

\Vhilc it is preferred to employ the specific construction and arrangement of parts shown and described, it will be understood that this construction and arrangement is not essential except so far as specified in the claims. and may be changed or modified vithout departing from the broader features of the invention.

T he invention having been described, what is claimed is:

l. A machine for operating upon shoe soles. having, in combination. devices with .relation to which a sole is located before being operated upon, and means for locating operating with the edge contour of the sole and shaped to engage a shoulder on the sole edge and determine the longitudinal posi tion of the sole.

A solo locating device for machines for operating upon shoe soles, having, in

combination, sole centering members acting on opposite sides of the sole edge intermediate its ends, and a 'leeler carried by one of said members arranged to bear against and Follow the sole edge and shaped to engage a shoulder on the contour of the sole edge as the sole is moved past the feeler to determine the longitudinal position of the sole. i. A sole locating device for machines for operating on shoe soles, having, in combinacrating with the edge contour of the sole to determine the longitudinal position of the sole, and means by which the teeler may be adjusted longitudinally of the molds.

6. A sole molding machine, having, in combination, sole pressing molds, sole centering members acting on opposite sides of the sole intermediate its ends, feelers carried by said members to cooperate with the edge contour of the sole, and means for adjusting one of: said. feelers longitudinally of the molds relatively to the other feeler.

T. A. sole molding machine, having, in combination, sole pressing members, sole centering members acting on opposite sides of the sole intermediate its ends, a feeler carried by one of said members constructed and arranged. to bear against and follow the sole edge and shaped to engage a shoulder on the contour of the sole edge as the sole is moved past the feeler, and means for adjusting the centering members longitudinally of the pressing members.

8. A machine for operating on shoe soles having, in combination, devices for. per forming a predetermined operation upon a sole, and a pair of oppositely disposed feelers designed to engage previously formed notches in the sole edge to locate the sole longitudinally.

9. A machine for operating on shoe soles having, in combination, devices for performing a predetermined operation upon a sole, a pair of oppositely disposed feelers designed to engage previously formed notches in the sole edge to locate t e nally, and connected mechanism for causing the feelers to center the sole laterally.

WILLIAM C. STEWART.

sole longitudi- 

